Hearty Italian White Bean Soup – 9 Ingredients

I’ve been suffering from abdominal bloating for a long time. My stomach would swell and become painful – I looked like I was in the early stages of pregnancy! I was talking to a friend about this problem and she suggested that I might be gluten intolerant.

Spurred on by this idea, I hit the internet and started researching this topic. The more I read, the more I realised that my bloating tended to happen after eating certain foods – foods that were high in gluten.

Gluten is a sticky protein that gives bread and other grains their texture. It’s very common but, unfortunately, some people are unable to digest gluten very well. This causes inflammation, gas, and bloating.

Gluten intolerance is widespread, and a lot of people don’t even know they have it until they remove gluten from their diet and their bloating disappears.

Here is a great gluten-free recipe that’s also vegetarian-friendly too. Whether you are gluten intolerant or not, this is a lovely dinnertime meal!

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 55 minutes

Number of servings: 4

Ingredients

½ cup uncooked long grain rice

5 cups low sodium broth

1 cup tomato sauce

1 onion, finally chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 ½ tablespoons Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

2 15-ounce cans of white beans, drained and rinsed

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

Instructions

1. Bring one cup of broth to the boil and then add the rice. Cook for around 20 minutes, or until the broth is fully absorbed by the rice. Leave to stand for 10 minutes

2. Chop the vegetables, add them to a pot, and cover with about ½ cup of broth. Cook for 5-8 minutes to soften

3. Once the vegetables have softened, add the remaining broth, all the seasoning, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes

4. After 10 minutes, add the tomatoes and cook for a further 10 minutes

5. Finally, add the beans, rice, and basil and cook for 10 more minutes. Serve immediately